


The Birthday Present

by bluestargirl6 (pressdbtwnpages)



Category: The OC
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2004-08-25
Updated: 2004-08-25
Packaged: 2017-10-04 11:18:54
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 570
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29443
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/pressdbtwnpages/pseuds/bluestargirl6
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>For <a href="http://blkqueenphoenix.livejournal.com/profile"><img/></a><a href="http://blkqueenphoenix.livejournal.com/"><b>blkqueenphoenix</b></a>'s birthday.</p>
    </blockquote>





	The Birthday Present

**Author's Note:**

> For [](http://blkqueenphoenix.livejournal.com/profile)[**blkqueenphoenix**](http://blkqueenphoenix.livejournal.com/)'s birthday.

Summer had never read the letter Seth left for her. All she needed to know was that Seth was gone, and the Cohens had told her that. Anything else Seth Cohen had to tell her, that he loved her, that he hoped she would wait, Summer was going to do anyway. And if, on the off chance it was the Dear John letter she feared it was, Summer didn't want to know.

So she hadn't read Seth's letter. It sat on her desk all summer, and she had ignored it.

Now Seth was standing on her doorstep tan and sun-bleached and looking hotter than Seth Cohen had any right to, and Summer was briefly tempted to ignore him too.  
He looked up, finally, at her standing in the doorway, and silently handed her a wrapped package.

Summer accepted it.

"Happy Birthday."

"What is this Cohen?" Summer demanded.

"A birthday present."

"You seriously think that you can show up on my doorstep, offer yourself to me and everything will be fine?" Summer's voice wavered between incredulous and angry.

"I thought gifts might be a good step towards your forgiveness," Seth said wryly before looking ashamed.

"Come in Cohen," Summer backed up out of the doorway.

"Seriously?"

"Yeah. Come on before I change my mind."

Seth hurried into the Roberts' foyer.

"Summer I-"

"Don't Cohen."

"But…"

"Just don't, okay?"

"Summer will you just-"

"Just what Cohen? Listen? What can you possibly say that will make this," Summer gestured grandly, "okay?"

"I'm sorry?"

"Are you asking or telling?"

"Now isn't really the time for a grammar lesson."

"The point still stands. Are you telling me that you're sorry you abandoned me for three months or are you asking me if you're sorry?"

Seth crossed the room to stand in front of Summer.

"I'm telling you," Seth touched Summer's cheek gently, "I'm sorry."

"Good," Summer took a step back. "But not nearly good enough. It's been three months Cohen! You left me for three months and you think an apology and a birthday present will be enough?"

"Are you going to open it?" Seth asked, gesturing at the box it Summer's hands.

"Now?"

"Yeah."

Summer sat down and began to tear at the wrapping.

"Geez Cohen! How much tape did you use?"

Seth sat next to her and scooted close. Leaning over Summer's shoulder he watched her struggle.

"Hurry up."

"I'm trying! Seriously Cohen if I break a nail…"

"Do you want me to open it?"

"No! Mine!" Summer exclaimed, managing to pull off most of the wrapping at once. "What is it?"

Summer stared blankly at the shoe box full of… stuff.

"A Seth Cohen starter pack," Seth announced. "Well, not really. It's more like a Summer Roberts starter pack. It's… stuff. That reminds me of you."

"Oh."

"I wanted you to know that I get you. That despite what my little vanishing act suggests, I really, really care about you, and I want us to be okay."

"I want that too Cohen."

"So you forgive me?"

"I want to. I really want to."

"But?"

"I can't. I'm scared," Summer held up an exotic seashell questioningly.

"Pretty on the outside, empty on the inside. Please let me in Summer."

"Why? So you can leave again?"

"Summer I-"  
"'Cause everyone always leaves me and you were the one person I knew wouldn't."

"I am so, so, sorry."

"Me too. Happy Birthday, huh?"

"Happy Birthday."


End file.
